The only annual study dedicated to analyzing the giving habits of donors worldwide was recently published. Produced by the Public Interest Registry and Nonprofit Tech For Good, the report "seeks to gain a better understanding of how donors prefer to give and engage with their favorite causes and charitable organizations" (p.3). Giving Habits The report provides considerable global insight for those tasked with leading fundraising for faith-based Read More …
4 Out of 10 Nations Favor a Specific Religion or Religions (#1706)
Earlier this month the Pew Research Center published the results of their analysis of their study of 199 countries and territories around the world. They found that more than 40% of these countries or territories (83 of 199), "favor a specific religion, either as an official, government-endorsed religion or by affording one religion preferential treatment over other faiths." Government-Endorsed Religion Only four religions have been granted the status of Read More …
World Communion Sunday (#1705)
Today is World Communion Sunday. Over the years, taking Communion / Lord's Supper / Eucharist on this day has been especially meaningful to me. Rather than seek to say something novel or new, I have collected some wisdom from posts I have written over the years. 2010: I wrote a series of blog posts sharing one big lesson I learned from each of the many denominations that have played a major role in my faith journey. In my post on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I Read More …
Connecting with Historic Congregations (#1704)
A year ago I was in Connecticut preaching and leading a Day of Discovery for leaders of Westchester Congregational Church (founded in 1728) . Yesterday I was in Grand Prairie, Texas preaching at West Fork Presbyterian (PCUSA) Church (founded in 1870). Fifteen years ago I was preaching or assisting in leading worship at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which claims to be the oldest continually meeting Protestant congregation in Dallas, Texas (founded in Read More …
My Many First Days (#1703)
First days are often memorable. Usually they are scheduled well in advance. Often they go according to plan. This was the case for me yesterday (September 17), which was my first day to preach in a congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 2010. First days can, however, be a bit more complicated and colorful as the last two months of my life illustrate: August 7 was officially my first day of work at the Wesley Mission Center, but my participation in a Read More …
Church Commutes (#1702)
The Baylor Religion Surveys provide some of the best recent data on American religion. The surveys consist of five waves: 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2017. Data from the latest wave was released last week, including the full 65 page report. The 2017 wave focuses on the religious, political, and ideological values of Trump voters mental health and religion in American today the intersection of technology and religion the geography of religion. Commuting As someone who Read More …
Book Recommendations – September 2017 (#1701)
There are so many great new books, and all of us have only limited time for reading. This summer I have shared a monthly list of the top ten books I have read: June July August The final post in the summer series follows. All books mentioned were published in 2017, and are rated on a 1-5 scale allowing for the top of the scale to be extended to a 5+ for the best of the best. (5.0) Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson Read More …
Starting My Last Semester as a Student (#1700)
Exactly a year ago I wrote a blog post titled "My Transition from Professor to Student" to tell the world I was returning to the classroom as a student in order to earn another degree. Tomorrow I start the fourth and what I plan to be my final semester as a MBA student at Texas Woman's University. Original Plan When I started this program I was working for a for profit company for the first (and, so far, the only) time in my life. The MBA was an easy choice for professional Read More …
An Update on My 2017 Religious Resolutions (#1699)
In November of 2016, I established 5 religious goals for the 2017 church year (Advent 2016 until the arrival of Advent 2017). Four months later I shared my progress. With Advent now just 14 weeks away, I offer a final check-in. Original Goals During this church year I resolve to Join (and be actively involved in) a local community of faith Labor to make real on earth God’s realm of justice and peace Write about matters of faith that matter (primarily here on this blog) Read More …
Book Recommendations – August 2017 (#1698)
After sharing book recommendations rather irregularly for some time, I offered 10 recommendations in June, 10 in July, and now offer another 10 this month. The following ten books have all been published in 2017. They are rated on a 1-5 scale. The rare exceptional book warrants a 5+. (5+) The Financial Diaries: How American Families Cope in a World of Uncertainty by Jonathan Morduch and Rachel Schneider (Princeton University Press, 2017) (5.0) Why God?: Explaining Read More …